Catalog Entries

Limited opportunities to enroll for course work on an Independent Study basis are available. A student interested in this option should obtain an Independent Study Registration Form from the Registrar, have it completed by the instructor and school dean involved, and return it to the Registrar's Office. Consult the Schedule of Classes for policies concerning Independent Study.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course introduces students to the discipline of sociology. It does so through the writings and theories of classical and contemporary thinkers in the field. Particular emphasis is placed on the works of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, the founders of the sociological perspective. Textbooks, class lectures, films, and other materials will help students to apply a sociological analysis to present day society and to their personal lives.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation describes a transfer course from another institution where an equivalency to a Ramapo college course has not been determined. Upon convener evaluation, this course ID may be changed to an equivalent of a Ramapo College course or may fulfill a requirement.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation is used to describe a transfer course from another institution which has been evaluated by the convener. A course with this course number has no equivalent Ramapo course. It may fulfill a requirement or may count as a free elective.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Limited opportunities to enroll for course work on an Independent Study basis are available. A student interested in this option should obtain an Independent Study Registration Form from the Registrar, have it completed by the instructor and school dean involved, and return it to the Registrar's Office. Consult the current Schedule of Classes for policies concerning Independent Study.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An examination of social inequality, how it is constituted and maintained and what forces exist for change; how race/ethnicity, gender and class interact to produce the kinds of cleavages that currently prevail. In order to better understand inequality in a global context, we will examine varous regions and the dynamics of inequality therein. Students will thereby hone their analytical and critical thinking skills.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An examination of aging as a social process and what it means to grow old in this society. The course connects the structure of society to the demographic characteristics of the aging population and American values and attitudes to public and private behavior toward the old. Special attention will be given to the experience of aging by social category (gender, ethnicity, and race) in terms of the physical, social, psychological, and economic health of the elderly and the stresses which surface in social relationships.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An examination of the changing nature of work in modern society, including the dilemmas of white collar employment and the rise of part-time, unprotected labor and the "informal" sector. Domestic conditions will be related to the internationalization of production and distribution via transnational corporations who contract branded products via maqila assembly plants that hire young women. The course will also discuss the search for meaningful work, and the battle over international labor standards and trade. Students will review their own work histories and recommend improved forms of work organization.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course studies inter-group relations. We will look at the increasing diversity of U.S. society which has resulted from major historical and contemporary processes (i.e., colonization, slavery, and immigration). The question of who has fared better in the U.S., and why some groups are more successful than others, have been central concerns in the sociology of race relations. Does social class of origin among immigrants help or hinder their adjustment to a new society? Does religion make a difference today? Is color important? Many think it matters the most. Finally, the course will examine how we, as a society, have historically constructed "the other", to justify economic and other kinds of exploitation. Our theoretical framework will include the study of structural and attitudinal factors which contribute to discrimination, prejudice, and general intolerance.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course is an introduction to the role of social movements in the contemporary world. It will begin with an assessment of sociological theory on social movements and address the old forms of collective action from which this literature springs. Then, the course will interpret the emergence of the "new social movements" of feminism, peace and ecology, and how they image the overcoming of the current ecological and socio-economic crisis. Special attention will be given to the claim that all these actions are part of a global movement for a new economic order.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A critical examination of social problems that have resulted from social changes and social controls in contemporary America. The thoughts of leading sociologists on these problems will be examined. Each student will select a social problem and explore it from a theoretical perspective and from available research. Lab Fee.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A sociological examination of the family and marriage in the United States, both as a social institution and as a set of intimate relationships in the context of historical change and development in the West. The course will explore the changing roles of women, men, and children within the family as they are affected by economic and social forces. Special attention will be given to the function of the contemporary family within the larger social structure.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Third world societies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America offer tremendous potential for development, but the pressure is toward uncontrolled "modernization" and indebtedness rather than balanced self-determination. Either repression or revolution can result. This course critically examines the theories and models that affect various forms of development, including dependency theory, Marxist conceptions of imperialism, world-system theory and economic sustainable programs.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The Black family, like all families, faces a crisis as we approach the 21st century. Not only are we faced with a growing number of unemployed family members, but we are also witnessing an ever increasing number of single never-married households. Less than half of all Black children are raised in two-parent families. Many of these children are poor because their mothers are poor. Middle class Black families are confronted with run away inflation. Many of them are finding it difficult to maintain middle class status on the salary of two working partners. The survival of Black people depends on the strength of their families. This course will discuss the African and Southern roots of the Black family. It will look at the Black family from an historical perspective in order to understand the contemporary issues confronting its existence.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An analysis of theories of criminal behavior and the social forces that have contributed to formulations of criminal law and rehabilitation policy. Actual functions of the criminal justice system will be explored, with an emphasis on prisons.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Every year between 2.5 and 4 million people cross international borders without authorization. Escaping war and civil conflict, political instability, ethnic violence, environmental disasters, and poverty, they search for a new home, and a chance to work with a livable pay. They are caught between borders in a borderless world. International Migration and Human Rights is a course about their lives, the causes of their displacements, and their treatment by others. International Migration and Human Rights shifts the focus of the study of the national interest of receiving and sending states to the human rights of the migrants. It helps the students to go beyond the popular nationalist narrative advocated by the media and politicians, to conduct a critical analysis of leading migration issues of our time. Evaluating the effects of globalization on migration, the increase in the number of people in need of protection, and the border policies of the United States and other affluent nations, the course calls for a reevaluation and reform of the existing international refugee and migration regimes.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation describes a transfer course from another institution where an equivalency to a Ramapo college course has not been determined. Upon convener evaluation, this course ID may be changed to an equivalent of a Ramapo College course or may fulfill a requirement.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation is used to describe a transfer course from another institution which has been evaluated by the convener. A course with this course number has no equivalent Ramapo course. It may fulfill a requirement or may count as a free elective.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Limited opportunities to enroll for course work on an Independent Study basis are available. A student interested in this option should obtain an Independent Study Registration Form from the Registrar, have it completed by the instructor and school dean involved, and return it to the Registrar's Office. Consult the current Schedule of Classes for policies concerning Independent Study.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

(Formerly SOCI 208) The idea of "development" has had a major influence on the formation of economic, social and political institutions, spanning from the post-Independence period to modern-day India. Broadly, the story can be told on three interwoven themes -- hyper-modernization, appropriate technology and sustainable development. This course will trace the trajectory of these three themes: in the West, in India and in the Third World, as undergirded by Gandhian calls to self-sufficiency and sustainable development. Beginning with post-interdependence India, "development" was institutionalized through centralized planning apparatuses, such as large scale modernization programs to increase agrarian and industrial production. In later phases of Indian development, these ideas moved from the "mixed economy" approach to the recent "liberalization" and integration of the economy into the global economy. The course concludes with an analyzis of the rise of the non-governmental sector in India, with their calls for a more appropriate approach to technology and sustainable development.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An analysis of the position of women in developing societies, using a sociological perspective, complemented by historical, economic, political, and cultural approaches, the course will explore how strategies for international development have shaped women's lives. We will examine the assumptions behind common development indicators believed to reflect women's realities. For example, do higher levels of national economic growth mean that the living conditions for most women and their families in developing countries automatically improve? Does participation in the work force give women greater autonomy in the family? Special attention will be given to the cultural basis of women's roles in Third World societies as well as among women of Third World populations in the United States.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course is an introduction to the sociological study of culture. Its aim is to give the learner a foundation for understanding the basic dynamics of culture and the major contemporary controversies about culture. Secondly, this course is interested in the uses of sociology for a general introduction to the new field of Cultural Studies. We will, therefore, be engaging readings in both the Sociology of Culture and Cultural Studies with a view to bringing out their mutual contributions to an understanding of social change and social transformation.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course will look at the history of political sociology, particularly its attention to the role of the state, political inequality, and political parties. The course will also examine political issues such as community politics, the activities of grassroots movements, and the practices of citizens around issues not yet fully represented in the domain of formal politics. In this latter emphasis, the sociological notion of the citizen will be a key point of discussion and class debate.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

(Study Abroad course). This course is an introduction to contemporary Indian life and culture, and provides a scaffold for the subsequent courses on development, sustainability and social movements that comprise the India Study Abroad semester program. In addition, the course also serves as the springboard for many field study project ideas. Through a combination of readings, lectures, films, field study experiences, reflection journals, and assignments, students will gain foundational knowledge about contemporary India and its complex and often contradictory contexts. At the same time, we will also explore the ways in which contemporary India's strengths and weaknesses are rooted in the extensive, complicated history.
Any course on Indian culture must be premised on both its contemporary image, and the historical precedents that influence and impact India's current social, political, and economic realities. Through this course students will explore the key facets of modern Indian life and culture--social structures, economic issues, geographic constraints, and religious and philosophical traditions. By studying the political, social, cultural and religious history (from pre-colonial to post-colonial times) and the varied geography of the subcontinent, students will gain a framework for understanding Indian civilization and relating this knowledge to the political, social and economic challenges in modern Indian society.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The course goal is to critically understand the origins and interests that promoted the idea of "Sustainable Development" and to evaluate current efforts toward its institutionalization. Clarification of the various meanings of "sustainability" as well as alternative (NGO's or people's organizations) perspectives on "sustainability" will be analyzed. The second part of the course focuses on case studies of "what works" in creating sustainability.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

An analysis of the logic of scientific inquiry as applied in the social sciences and related professions through a critical examination of the methodological practices of social scientists and the design and execution of research related to the student's interests and course of study. Students are introduced to the use of packaged computer programs for data analysis. Lab Fee. LAWS students should see instructor for waiver of prerequisite.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A study of the application of statistics in social research, utilizing available computer technology. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be taught. This course fulfills the statistics requirement for Sociology majors and the research requirement for Social Science majors. Lab Fee.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A study of the social structures and processes that influence food production, distribution, consumption, and how each of these affect human populations in developed and developing societies. Malthusian, Marxist and Ecologically Sustainable perspectives will be examined. Subtopics include agriculture, diet and nutrition, genetically modified food, famine, corporate food promotion, and trade inequalities.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A consideration of the ways in which society defines deviance and the deviant individual, starting with the major theoretical perspectives on why socially prohibited behavior occurs and how we make sense of deviance. The course will examine how social structures deal with deviants and the adaptive behavior of those identified as deviant. Of particular importance is the role which persons in political power or those who enforce the law play in the labeling of acts and actors as deviant. The course will focus on a specific social category of deviants and their "careers" each semester it is offered.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The Fieldwork in Sociology of Community does not meet as a class. Students must complete 96 hours of community work during the semester in a group or institution relevant to sociology. Each student will meet with the instructor individually during the semester to discuss his/her site work. As a final project, and based on their individual field practices, students will produce a paper that integrates both the field and classroom work. This course also fulfills the SSHS core fieldwork requirement.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The course is an introduction to the contemporary debate about the objectivity of modern science in a multicultural and globalizing world. Current reconstructions of the interconnected origins of western modernity and science are examined and used to define different perspectives on the history and philosophy of science. Cultural studies of science approaches are presented that compare science and other knowledge systems. In these contexts assessments of the social and cultural impacts of scientific knowledge and scientized-technologies are examined.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

A sociological examination of the religious experience. This course studies institutional and non-institutional systems of belief, practice, organization, and the ways in which these systems shape the behavior of adherents through particular rules of conduct. Using examples from various religions as they have emerged historically, we will explore changes in interpretations of the sources of religion. Diversity of views has often led to internal discord and sometimes major conflicts within religious groups and organizations (i.e., feminist and liberation theologies) as alternatives to traditional approaches. The course will also look at how ideas of the sacred have permeated culture and informed the philosophies of so many social and political movements.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course introduces the social theories of Marx, Durkheim, and Weber and illustrates how these theories have been renewed as ongoing research programs. Systematic attention is given to the issues of validating concept and theory formation and the debate about "objectivity" and ideology in social theory. These theoretical perspectives are also used to introduce the normative debate about the globalization of modern civil society in a multicultural world.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Study Abroad. This course explores ways in which people in India are organizing to achieve social justice and working to find solutions to economic, social and political problems. The course begins by reviewing the legal and political structures that shape the lives of citizens. Through readings, lectures and field trips, students learn about the history and contemporary forms of several key social movements in India, including the women's movement, sexual minorities movement, child rights movement, environmental movement, and tribal (adivasi) movement. The course also examines tools for social change such as alternative education, grassroots media, alternative law practices and conflict resolution groups.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The Public Sociology course permits students to bring their sociological training into the surrounding immediate civil society and public sphere. The course will engage a specific public theme each year that it is offered. For example, cultural differences and Muslim communities in New Jersey: migrants and labor markets in New Jersey. Students will familiarize themselves with the academic literature on the subject and then research it empirically in the field. The intent of the course is for students to examine public issues, and be involved in research that will be useful to the groups being studied and the larger community.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course involves an in-depth, comprehensive look at the relationship between race and crime in the United States. In disentangling the complex relationship between race and crime, this course examines both racialized ideological constructions and perceptions of crime, as well as institutional policies and practices, including seemingly race-neutral ones, that contribute to racially disparate outcomes both within and outside of the criminal justice system. Analysis of racialized perceptions and constructions of crime focuses not only on how such perceptions and constructions shape criminal justice practices and processes such as deployment, stops, arrests, detention, charges, convictions, sentencing, and incarceration, but also how they affect where people live and send their children to school. In investigating criminal justice outcomes, this course takes a critical look at a number of taken-for-granted assumptions in both conventional and scholarly explanations of race and crime. For instance, rather than assuming that there is a neat conceptual distinction between extra-legal variables such as race, ethnicity, class, and age, and legal variables such as the seriousness of offense and prior record, this course looks at how race shapes these extra-legal variables. Similarly, rather than assuming that racial steroetypes regarding criminality affect law enforcement practices in the same way across spaces and communities, this course looks at how a variety of community level variables result in different practices regardless of whatever pre-existing racial stereotypees harbored by law enforcement officers.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course will examine the changing nature of the family and the workplace with an emphasis on the impact of gender in these two spheres. We will focus on specific social and historical changes which have altered the structure of the domestic realms of work and the dynamics of the relationship between men and women. Special attention will be given to such issues as equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, pay equity (comparable worth), parental leaves, sexual harassment, and the effects of globalization on women's labor, in the United States and the developing world.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

The descriptions and topics of this course change from semester-to-semester, as well as from instructor-to-instructor. Prerequisite: varies with the topic offered.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation describes a transfer course from another institution where an equivalency to a Ramapo college course has not been determined. Upon convener evaluation, this course ID may be changed to an equivalent of a Ramapo College course or may fulfill a requirement.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation is used to describe a transfer course from another institution which has been evaluated by the convener. A course with this course number has no equivalent Ramapo course. It may fulfill a requirement or may count as a free elective.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

Limited opportunities to enroll for course work on an Independent Study basis are available. A student interested in this option should obtain an Independent Study Registration Form from the Registrar, have it completed by the instructor and school dean involved, and return it to the Registrar's Office. Consult the current Schedule of Classes for policies concerning Independent Study.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

STUDY ABROAD. This seminar will introduce students to concepts of learning across cultures as well as techniques and methodologies for multicultural interviewing and documentation in field work. They will stay at Fireflies and visit development projects and social and cultural organizations around Bangalore. Field study projects will include Indian Literature and social change, urban poverty and development, child labor, water issues, pluralism, contemporary Indian theatre, inter-religious conflict resolution, women's issues, environment issues, art and society.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

"What can someone do with a sociology degree?" Sociology is a discipline which enables thinkers to understand and critique the problems of contemporary societies, and which prepares students for a wide variety of entry-level jobs in our present-day, globally diverse and demanding workforce, as well as for a range of professions that demand a critical, socially-oriented, undergraduate academic background for future training. This course is designed to enable you to use your sociology training at Ramapo College for success in your future positions in the labor market or graduate academic settings. It will ensure that upon graduation with a bachelor's degree in Sociology, you can understand classical and contemporary lines of thought in the discipline, be experienced in empirical research, use sociological texts to theorize about your findings, work with others to evaluate your results, write a sociological paper in professional format, and present your work in a public forum. A portion of this course is also dedicated to guiding your search for social science related jobs or graduate school programs upon your completion of the sociology major at Ramapo.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation describes a transfer course from another institution where an equivalency to a Ramapo college course has not been determined. Upon convener evaluation, this course ID may be changed to an equivalent of a Ramapo College course or may fulfill a requirement.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours

This course designation is used to describe a transfer course from another institution which has been evaluated by the convener. A course with this course number has no equivalent Ramapo course. It may fulfill a requirement or may count as a free elective.
0.000 TO 4.000 Credit hours
0.000 TO 4.000 Lecture hours